Canku
Ota
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(Many
Paths)
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An
Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America
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March
8, 2003 - Issue 82
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Suzanne Westerly
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Photojournalist,
Activist
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Suzanne has worked as an environmental health activist for over two decades. Although nuclear issues have been her main focus from 1994 to 2001, she has worked on other issues like alternative health advocacy, and logging and mining issues. Originally from the Great Lakes area, she had married, had two wonderful children, got divorced, and worked as an architectural photographer while raising her children. In 1988 Suzanne followed her lifelong dream and moved to California where she worked on the Big Green Campaign to save Old Forests in California. At a powwow in Malibu, she came across a candidate running for Congress as a Green. "When I read the Green Party Platform, I felt totally committed to this party whose Platform was Earth-based. That was a major turning point in my life. I worked on issues, campaigns, and eventually found myself elected to the County Commission of the LA County Green Party." Although Suzanne loved California,
she had a premonition that a major earthquake was going to hit. She packed
up and moved to Phoenix, AZ. Two weeks later in January of 1994, the Northridge
quake hit. Six months later, she moved to Albuquerque, NM, where she worked
with All Peoples Coalition and Water Information Network. Later, she moved
to Santa Fe where she worked on Los Alamos National Lab (LANL) issues
with Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety. She was Outreach Director,
and then Project Director for the Community Radiation Education Project.
She worked closely with Marian Naranjo (Santa Clara Pueblo) doing outreach
to the Pueblos, meeting with Community Health Representatives, working
on an Elders Program, and participating in the creation of the video,
Shadow On the Hill, which is about LANL. She was Interim Executive Director
before being drawn back California for the second time. Then, February 16, 2002 Suzanne's life was put on hold for a year because of a car accident in which she was the passenger. It only took 3 seconds. The high-speed single vehicle rollover threw her through the window. Her thoracic spine was badly fractured and every bone in her face was broken, the right side pulverized. "I'm writing a book about the experience. The repercussions of a car accident is an ongoing healing process. I have started interviewing others who have had to deal with similar issues, and am looking for more people to interview. I believe I would never have pulled through if it wasn't for my children, Shari and Kevin, and my mom. Shari and my mom have taken care of me this last year." "Soon I have my third facial reconstruction, and then I'll go live with Kevin in Hawaii for a few months as I seek out alternative healing modalities." "Although this year has been a detour in my life, I"m determined to get back to what I love, photography and writing." "If you would like to share your health challenges that are similar to mine for my book, I would love to hear from you. The best way to catch me is online at westwriter@earthlink.net or islandbreezes@earthlink.net ." |
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Canku Ota is a free Newsletter celebrating Native America, its traditions and accomplishments . We do not provide subscriber or visitor names to anyone. Some articles presented in Canku Ota may contain copyright material. We have received appropriate permissions for republishing any articles. Material appearing here is distributed without profit or monetary gain to those who have expressed an interest. This is in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107. | ||
Canku Ota is a copyright © 2000,
2001, 2002, 2003 of Vicki Lockard and Paul Barry.
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The "Canku Ota
- A Newsletter Celebrating Native America" web site and its design
is the
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Copyright © 1999,
2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 of Paul C. Barry.
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All Rights Reserved.
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